Caisson for the Transport of Goods

ABSTRACT

The present invention refers to a caisson for the transport of goods, in particular to a container. 
     The caisson ( 11 ) for the transport of goods comprises a flatbed ( 14 ) extractable from said caisson ( 11 ); said flatbed ( 14 ) is sliding along the bottom internal surface of said caisson ( 11 ); characterised in that said flatbed ( 14 ) comprises at least one first pair of resting feet ( 15 ), hinged in said flatbed ( 14 ) in the vicinity of one of its ends, having a first horizontal rest position folded inside said flatbed ( 14 ) and a second vertical working position, capable to sustain said flatbed ( 14 ) when said flatbed ( 14 ) is extracted from said caisson ( 11 ).

The present invention refers to a caisson for the transport of goods, inparticular to a container, that is a large metal caisson with standarddimensions, for maritime, truck, or railway transport of goods.

In the last few years, in the international shipping sector, bigtechnological changes have been observed in port structures, in thefield of informatics and in the field of communications.

Larger and larger container-ships are being constructed, even of 8000teus (measurement unit for containers), against the 1500/2000 teus shipsavailable a few years ago.

Port terminals are increasingly efficient and capable to offer largerand larger wharves and higher and higher depths (at least 16 m) toreceive these gigantic ships.

There are upgradings of electronic infrastructures in order to offer allthe users the real time information relative to the movements of goods.

All this with the purpose to reduce to the least the dead times for thetransit of goods in the various ports in the world and with the variousport authorities, and to allow the goods to reach their markets andtherefore their consumers in the shortest possible time.

Experts in the field foresee, in fact, very high percentages of growthin sea forwarding and with conspicuous investments in this sector forthe future.

In this extreme modernisation context, in this increasingly frenetictransport cycle, container plays a very important role.

The container has simplified the transport of goods, and for this reasonport terminals with specific cranes have been built to handle them,specific ships have been built to transport them, and specific trailersfor their ground transport have been built.

However the container, in its various standard dimensions, has alwaysremained the same. The container has a parallelepiped shape, andnormally, one of its smaller surfaces includes two doors from which thegoods get loaded and unloaded.

When containers are transported on the land they are put on lorries,predisposed for their transport, and for the loading and the unloadingof goods they must reach wharves where fork lifts can get close and getinside the same container in order to be able to handle the goods.

The U.S. Pat. No. 3,938,678 describes a container and a structure withwheels which allows it to get inside the container only from the wharf,when hooked by a specific fork lift. Such structure is not integral partof the container, since it gets completely extracted from the same, andit can be utilised only with the aid of the wharf.

The wharf is a raised masonry work placed at the level of the base ofthe container in order to facilitate the transfer of the goods fromoutside to inside of it and vice-versa. In this way fork lifts can evenaccess inside the container.

In view of the state of the art herein described, object of the presentinvention is to provide a container capable to considerably reduce thedead times for the loading and the unloading of goods, Therefore thedead times for transit.

According to the present invention, such object has been attained bymeans of a caisson for the transport of goods comprising a flatbedextractable from said caisson; said flatbed is sliding along the bottominternal surface of said caisson; characterised in that said flatbedcomprises at least one first pair of resting feet, hinged in saidflatbed in the vicinity of one of its ends, having a first horizontalrest position folded inside of said flatbed and a second verticalworking position, capable to sustain said flatbed when said flatbed isextracted from said caisson.

Owing to the present invention it is possible to provide a containerwhich has an extractable flatbed with resting feet as an integral part,which allows the loading and the unloading of the goods without the aidof the wharf. In addition, according to the present invention a newuniversal type container is obtained which allows its utilisation bothwith and without wharves, and in addition to that, both when placed on alorry and when placed on the ground.

The characteristics and the advantages of the present invention willbecome evident from the following detailed description of an embodimentthereof, which is illustrated as a non limiting example in the encloseddrawings, in which:

FIGS. 1-6 represent an example of use of the present invention indifferent stages;

FIG. 7 shows and example of embodiment of the flatbed in perspectiveview;

FIG. 8 shows and example of embodiment of the flatbed in a side view;

FIG. 9 shows and example of embodiment of the flatbed in a front view;

FIG. 10 shows the base of the container in a front view;

FIG. 11 shows the base of the container in a top view.

Let's now consider FIGS. 1-6 which show a lorry 10 which transports acontainer 11, or any other type of caisson to handle the goods 12,placed inside of it.

Inside the container 11 a flatbed 14 is predisposed, which is integralpart of the same, which can slide inside the container (on its lowersurface), as we will see hereinafter. The flatbed 14 is provided with apair of resting feet 15, hinged in the flatbed 14, and preferablyprovided with wheels 16, which can rest on the ground capable to sustainthe flatbed 14. On the sides of the flatbed 14 walls 17 are preferablyprovided in order to contain the goods sideways in such a way that thesecannot fall from the sides during the operations of extraction orinsertion of the flatbed 14 from the container 11.

At the moment of the unloading of the goods 12, a fork lift 13 gets nearthe opening of the container 11, hooks the flatbed 14 and it extracts itby pulling it. The pair of resting feet 15 gets rotated manually inorder to rest on the ground, thus allowing the complete exit of theflatbed 14 from the container 11, up until the reaching of an end ofstroke not shown. In this way the flatbed 14 is almost totally externalto the walls of the container 11, resting and fastened (as we will seehereinafter) to the end of the container on one side and by the restingfeet 15 on the other one, with the goods totally in view from theoutside.

Once the flatbed 14 is extracted, the walls 17 get lowered down and thegoods can be unloaded. The unloading (or the loading) of the goods canbe carried out, in this way, on three sides of the flatbed 14 thus usingvery short times, without the fork lift to introduce into the container,also owing to the possibility to be able to use even more than one forklift.

We refer now to FIG. 7 which shows in perspective an embodiment of theflatbed 14, without the walls 17.

The flatbed 14 is made up of a rectangular frame made of metal sectionbar on which marine plywood (not shown) of about 3 cm in thickness willthen be placed which will serve as a base for the goods. The dimensionsof the flatbed 14 are the ones which allow it to be able to slide insidestandard containers. Inside the external frame, according to thelongitudinal direction of the frame (long side of the frame) three pairsof bars 20 of section bar equally distant to each other are preferablyplaced. Each one of these bars 20 is suitable to sustain a plurality ofwheels 21, for example 10 in the caisson of a 20 feet container, linedup with each other and capable to slide along the base of the container11. The wheels 21 are of the type having a small diameter, a little morethan the thickness of the flatbed 14, and high carrying capacity.

In the vicinities of one end of the flatbed 14 (as regards the long sideof the frame), the one which will be the most internal one in thecontainer 11, two small bars 22 are placed, arranged transversally asrelated to the pairs of bars 20 and fastened to them. The distance ofthese bars from the end of the flatbed 14 is equal to about 10-20% ofthe entire length of the same flatbed 14. At the centre of each one ofthe bars 22 and perpendicularly to them a pin 23 is placed, facingtoward the door of the container 11.

On the external edge of the flatbed 14, along the longer sides, a fewguides 24 are preferably placed which hold and guide the walls 17.

The resting feet 15, hinged in the flatbed 14 in the vicinity (equal toa distance of about 20% of the entire length of the flatbed 14) of oneend of the flatbed 14 (as related to the long side of the frame), theone closest to the door of the container 11, are telescopic and theyhave a portion 25 which can be extended, and they can be adjusted inheight by means of holes provided in the extensible portion 25 andlocked by means of pins 26. In condition of rest, the resting feet 15are sunk in the frame 14. Durante the extraction of the flatbed 14 fromthe container 11, they are manually extracted from the resting position,they are adjusted in height in such a way so that their total length isequal to the one of the height of the plane of the container 11 from theground.

They also get locked in vertical position by means of a pin 31 made ofsteel. The pin 31 is predisposed in such a way that the resting feet 15will not accidentally close, and it is a pin passing in the externalsection bar of the flatbed 14 and in the same feet 15.

In the vicinity of one end of the flatbed 14 (as related to the longside of the frame), the one closest to the door of the container 11, andtherefore near to where the resting feet 15 are hinged, an additionalpair of resting feet 27 are hinged having smaller dimensions than theone of the resting feet 15 and equal to about 15-20 centimetres providedwith wheels, to be used when the container 11 is unloaded on the groundutilising a port wharf and/or a warehouse. They also have a pin 32,analogous to the locking pin 31, in vertical position.

FIGS. 8 and 9 show the flatbed 14 comprehensive of walls 17 respectivelyin a side view and in a front view. In FIG. 8 one can notice rings 30fastened to the flatbed 14 which can be utilised for the fastening ofthe load with belts.

The walls 17 slide owing to the guides 24, made up of a steel C-sectionbar, in turn welded to the flatbed 14; the locking of the walls on theguides takes place both in the working position as well as in theposition of rest by means of pins made of steel.

We now refer to FIGS. 10 and 11 which show the base 40 of the container11. On the base 40 it is preferable to fasten guides 41 according to thelongitudinal direction of the container (long side of the container) inorder to facilitate and to guide the wheels 21 of the flatbed 14. Theguides are in a number equal to the number of the pairs of bars 20, andthey have a substantially U-shape, that is they have the edges slightlyraised in order to contain and to guide the wheels 21.

Between the guides 41 and in the vicinity of one end of the base 40toward the door of the container 11, L-shapes 42 are fastened, havingthe shape of an L. In the upper part of the L a hole 43 is provided.When the flatbed 14 is extracted, the L-shapes 42 stop the advancementof the bars 22 and the pins 23 will get into the holes 43. It turns outto be preferable to place a rubber profile between the L-shapes 42 andthe bars 22 in order to attenuate the possible collision between these.The L-shapes 42 and the bars 22 have the function of end of stroke ofthe flatbed 14 when this gets extracted, and also the function toprevent possible vertical movements of the flatbed 14. In this way theflatbed 14 is as a result integral part of the container 11 andtherefore it is not separable.

In an alternative embodiment the wheels 21 can be placed on the bottominternal surface of the caisson and the guides 41 can be placed on thebottom internal surface of the flatbed 14.

According to the present invention, there are great advantages andsavings in time for the company which unloads or loads the goods, forthe carrier which for the completion of these operations stops a timespan considerably shorter than what takes place now, for the shipownerwho can re-utilise the container for other trips, and for customsofficer who can carry out more easily and in a shorter time theverifications of the goods on the complete load being loaded in the samecontainer.

It is in fact faculty of Customs authorities to verify the transit goodsby objectively controlling the nature of the goods inside the container,on the base of the accompanying documents and which are declared. Todaythis control can take place only summarily and only for parcels whichare near the doors of the containers. In fact, when open it is possibleto verify only the goods at sight, not being able to control the oneswhich are loaded at the end of the container, unless by completelyemptying it with high expenditures, long times and the aid of a wharfand/or warehouse.

With the present invention it is sufficient to extract the flatbed 14,without the aid of any wharf, and the goods is thus as a resultcompletely at sight, event the ones stored at the end of the container.

In the present description reference has been made, in particular way,to standard type containers, but the present invention is applicable toany type of container, such as 20′, 40′, 40′ HQ, as also to any lorry ortrailer having an open or closed caisson, for the transport goods. Inthis case too the loading and the unloading of the goods can easily takeplace without the aid of the wharf.

1. Caisson (11) for the transport of goods comprising a flatbed (14)extractable from said caisson (11); said flatbed (14) is sliding alongthe bottom internal surface of said caisson (11); characterised in thatsaid flatbed (14) comprises at least one first pair of resting feet(15), hinged in said flatbed (14) in the vicinity of one of its ends,having a first horizontal rest position folded inside of said flatbed(14) and a second vertical working position, capable to sustain saidflatbed (14) when said flatbed (14) is extracted from said caisson (11).2. Caisson (11) according to claim 1 characterised in that said at leastone first pair of resting feet (15) is provided with wheels (16). 3.Caisson (11) according to claim 1 characterised in that said at leastone first pair of resting feet (15) comprises telescopic tubesadjustable in height by means of a locking pin (26) passing in saidtelescopic tubes.
 4. Caisson (11) according to claim 1 characterised inthat said at least one first pair of resting feet (15) comprises lockingpins (31) when placed in said second vertical working position, passingin the external section bar of said flatbed (14) and in said at leastone first pair of resting feet (15).
 5. Caisson (11) according to claim1 characterised in that said flatbed (14) comprises guides (24) placedon the external edge of the greater sides of said flatbed (14) on whichside walls (17) can slide vertically.
 6. Caisson (11) according to claim1 characterised in that said flatbed (14) comprises at least one secondpair of resting feet (27) with smaller dimensions than said at least onefirst pair of resting feet (15).
 7. Caisson (11) according to claim 1characterised in that said flatbed (14) comprises at least one pair ofplates provided with pins (22) placed in the vicinity of one of its endssuitable to cooperate with at least one pair of plates (42) providedwith holes (23) fastened to one end of the base of said caisson (11). 8.Caisson (11) according to claim 1 characterised in that said flatbed(14) comprises a plurality of wheels (21) and said caisson (11)comprises one base on which at least one guide (41) is placed which issuitable to guide the sliding of said plurality of wheels (21). 9.Caisson (11) according to claim 2 characterised in that said at leastone first pair of resting feet (15) comprises telescopic tubesadjustable in height by means of a locking pin (26) passing in saidtelescopic tubes.
 10. Caisson (11) according to claim 2 characterised inthat said at least one first pair of resting feet (15) comprises lockingpins (31) when placed in said second vertical working position, passingin the external section bar of said flatbed (14) and in said at leastone first pair of resting feet (15).
 11. Caisson (11) according to claim3 characterised in that said at least one first pair of resting feet(15) comprises locking pins (31) when placed in said second verticalworking position, passing in the external section bar of said flatbed(14) and in said at least one first pair of resting feet (15). 12.Caisson (11) according to claim 9 characterised in that said at leastone first pair of resting feet (15) comprises locking pins (31) whenplaced in said second vertical working position, passing in the externalsection bar of said flatbed (14) and in said at least one first pair ofresting feet (15).
 13. Caisson (11) according to claim 2 characterisedin that said flatbed (14) comprises guides (24) placed on the externaledge of the greater sides of said flatbed (14) on which side walls (17)can slide vertically.
 14. Caisson (11) according to claim 3characterised in that said flatbed (14) comprises guides (24) placed onthe external edge of the greater sides of said flatbed (14) on whichside walls (17) can slide vertically.
 15. Caisson (11) according toclaim 9 characterised in that said flatbed (14) comprises guides (24)placed on the external edge of the greater sides of said flatbed (14) onwhich side walls (17) can slide vertically.
 16. Caisson (11) accordingto claim 4 characterised in that said flatbed (14) comprises guides (24)placed on the external edge of the greater sides of said flatbed (14) onwhich side walls (17) can slide vertically.
 17. Caisson (11) accordingto claim 10 characterised in that said flatbed (14) comprises guides(24) placed on the external edge of the greater sides of said flatbed(14) on which side walls (17) can slide vertically.
 18. Caisson (11)according to claim 11 characterised in that said flatbed (14) comprisesguides (24) placed on the external edge of the greater sides of saidflatbed (14) on which side walls (17) can slide vertically.
 19. Caisson(11) according to claim 12 characterised in that said flatbed (14)comprises guides (24) placed on the external edge of the greater sidesof said flatbed (14) on which side walls (17) can slide vertically. 20.Caisson (11) according to claim 2 characterised in that said flatbed(14) comprises at least one second pair of resting feet (27) withsmaller dimensions than said at least one first pair of resting feet(15).